08 August, 1970.  Sometime in the later afternoon.

0:35 in a Piper PA-28-140 ‘Cherokee’ with Vern Forbes, instructor, from Ray’s Flying Service in Saskatoon, SK (YXE).

My career in aviation had commenced. As I recall, it was sort of a marginal VFR day, drizzle and lower overcast skies, but we went up anyway. Hey, it was Ray Fornier’s place and he wasn’t about to let a potential cash cow get away.

Oddly enough, I do not recall a whole lot of the other details of this particularly momentous occasion. Guess that I was too taken up (no pun intended) in the moment. I do, however, know one particular item: my Dad, Wilf Chamney, drove us there in his 1969 Thunderbird. The 4 door one with “suicide doors” in the back. THAT I DO remember.

Thanks, Dad … and Mom, for being there so that you were able to provide for this and so, so much more. My eternal gratitude.